If Buffy had ended with Season 5...

[Too Much Fun]

I really like this idea of a season 5 finale/series finale that is a combination of the season 5 and 6 finales we actually got. I didn't like "The Gift" very much (again, mostly because I couldn't stand the Glory character), but I think season 6 had a great finale. A series finale in which Xander saves Willow from destroying the world with her grief would have been a perfect way to bring the series full circle with a focus on Buffy, Xander, and Willow at the end (after all, they are the original 'Big Three' of the show).

Season 7 Faith has a different vibe to her, she's not jealous of Buffy any more, she has everything Buffy has thrust upon her (she even gets Dawn) and realises how tough it's been for Buffy. The pair kissing and making up is wonderful.

Now if THAT had REALLY happened, I would have liked season 7 a lot more.

Like Dawn in season 7 because they gave her more to do than just getting rescued and giving Buffy unconditional life. Plus Michelle grows from adorable moppet to truly beautiful young woman

Yes, the actress playing her did become a lot prettier and more mature-looking by the end of the series, but that doesn't mean Dawn ever became worthwhile character.

 

[saturn5]

I really like this idea of a season 5 finale/series finale that is a combination of the season 5 and 6 finales we actually got. I didn't like "The Gift" very much (again, mostly because I couldn't stand the Glory character), but I think season 6 had a great finale. A series finale in which Xander saves Willow from destroying the world with her grief would have been a perfect way to bring the series full circle with a focus on Buffy, Xander, and Willow at the end (after all, they are the original 'Big Three' of the show).

Season 7 Faith has a different vibe to her, she's not jealous of Buffy any more, she has everything Buffy has thrust upon her (she even gets Dawn) and realises how tough it's been for Buffy. The pair kissing and making up is wonderful.

Now if THAT had REALLY happened, I would have liked season 7 a lot more.

Like Dawn in season 7 because they gave her more to do than just getting rescued and giving Buffy unconditional life. Plus Michelle grows from adorable moppet to truly beautiful young woman

Yes, the actress playing her did become a lot prettier and more mature-looking by the end of the series, but that doesn't mean Dawn ever became worthwhile character.

There's always fanfic!
And how could you watch Potential and tell me Dawn isn't a wonderful character?

 

[Admiral_Young]

I'm going to go ahead and say yes and no...if it was designed to be the finale season I think it would have been structured differently than it was aired perhaps more epic than it was. I loved Glory as a Big Bad...oh by the way did you guys know that Glory is Ben and Ben is Glory? (sorry Buffy Season Eight joke). Buffy sacrificing herself to save the world in "The Gift" would seem like a fitting end and maybe could explain the panel from "Fray" although probably not. While season six and seven weren't great as has been pointed out they did have memorable episodes such as "Once More With Feeling" and "Conversations With Dead People".

 

[Nick Ryder]

Well if it would have ended in Season 5 with Buffy dying for good - and all we were left with was Angel... either they would A) Have to find a new slayer. B) Bring back Faith full time or C) just effin' kill the whole franchise. I mean think about it. When Buffy ended, Angel had a season of his own show and that was it. We were left with a cliff hanger and that was that. And had to wait how many years for Dark Horse to do "Buffy Season 8" to finally wrap up things on the Angel front.

6 and 7 were meh, but they were still entertaining. I mean let's be honest here... if not for Season 7 we probably wouldn't have become huge fans of Nathan Fillion and Felicia Day - both of whom came out in S7 of Buffy.

And who here could live without The Guild or Castle or Firefly?

 

[Jetfire]

^
Wasn't Firefly on before Nathan Fillion appeared on BtVS?

 

[Admiral_Young]

^ I don't think so. Firefly was in 2005 wasn't it?

 

[RoJoHen]

^
Wasn't Firefly on before Nathan Fillion appeared on BtVS?

Nope, Firefly started after Buffy was already off the air.

 

[stonester1]

There was no reason to end it at season 5. It didn't end at season five. But those who are for some reason disturbed by the existence of the two following seasons ARE free to ignore them.

You miss some great TV that is still better than most other TV, even at it's worst. But, your call.

 

[Shadow_Cloak]

No. Serenity was released in 2005. Firefly was canceled at the end of 2002, and the episodes of Buffy Nathan Fillion was in aired in mid 2003. He got the part on Buffy because Firefly was canceled, and Gina Torres got a part on Angel.

 

[RoJoHen]

Hmm...I'm getting my dates mixed up. I'm also forgetting how long ago Firefly was actually on the air!

 

[Jetfire]

No. Serenity was released in 2005. Firefly was canceled at the end of 2002, and the episodes of Buffy Nathan Fillion was in aired in mid 2003. He got the part on Buffy because Firefly was canceled, and Gina Torres got a part on Angel.

Thanks.

 

[Mr Light]

Felicia Day was on Buffy?! I didn't know that. Was she one of the Potentials?

 

[RoJoHen]

^Indeed she was.

 

[KB24]

The Gift would have been a satisfiying ending to the series as a whole-not just Season 5- if it had been maybe a two hour finale. I think much of Season 7 drags too much, but it's final few concluding episodes do represent a complete series conclusion.

I do however, occasionally knock around the notion that Once More with Feeling should have been the series finally. Yes it opens up a serious can of worms, but I kind of like that. Not everything is going to be perfect for these people-demon wise or real life wise. Oh well, that's life! I also like Spike and Buffy much better than Buffy and Angel, but some of the kinky and abusive they get in the latter half of season 6 is a little too weird.

Also, the trio and the First are a little too dumb and abstract to be good big bads. I know some think there were too many changes and such in 6 and 7, but most series peak in their mid seasons and then wind down for a season or so. So, all in all, Buffy had a successful run. Had they know more about their future, maybe it would have been neat to end with 5 and spin off into something else, but no show is perfect. For a fantasy series, at least Buffy comes dang close! Look how The X-Files got too weird at the end,too.

 

[RoJoHen]

Also, the trio and the First are a little too dumb and abstract to be good big bads.

Agreed about the Trio, but I really enjoyed The First as a villain. However, I was really expecting The First to somehow become corporeal and gigantic and monstrous in the final episode. Instead, all it did was take the form of Buffy.

Also, I was a little disappointed that Spike was the one to save the day instead of, ya know, Buffy. The Amulet thing was just a little too deus ex machina for my liking.

 

[3D Master]

What would have been your reaction to the series ending? Would you have been satisfied with the ending or left agonized by it?

I'm thinking of watching the Buffy series up to the end of Season 5 and stopping there. Do you think that would be a good idea?

Why did this not happen!? WHY!?

Got things would have been so much better. I swear, no more war, no economical crisis. Buffy S6, S7, and the comics S8 are the source of all the world's evils. It's that bad.

 

[stonester1]

Also, the trio and the First are a little too dumb and abstract to be good big bads.

Agreed about the Trio, but I really enjoyed The First as a villain. However, I was really expecting The First to somehow become corporeal and gigantic and monstrous in the final episode. Instead, all it did was take the form of Buffy.

Also, I was a little disappointed that Spike was the one to save the day instead of, ya know, Buffy. The Amulet thing was just a little too deus ex machina for my liking.

I love the Trio, but I love it when us geeks are represented, in both favorable and unfavorable lights. It's still a salute and let's face it, both aspects are well represented IRL re. our culture.

 

[Sci]

I think the story was incomplete. Buffy the Vampire Slayer's essential theme is just what it says on the tin -- it's the story about how Buffy learns to self-actualize by incorporating her role as the Slayer into her larger self-construct.

I don't think Buffy had done that by the end of Season Five. Really, I don't think she ever figured out how to do that -- how to go from being both Buffy, the Vampire Slayer, to being Buffy the Vampire Slayer -- until she figured out how to break the Watchers Council's system of control over the Slayer by empowering every Potential in the world, thus ending the one-Slayer-at-a-time rule. Only by overthrowing the Council's system of control and sharing her power did she truly become Buffy the Vampire Slayer; that done, the story was over.

 

[Hermiod]

^Indeed she was.

Felicia's about the only good thing about season seven.

 

[3D Master]

I think the story was incomplete. Buffy the Vampire Slayer's essential theme is just what it says on the tin -- it's the story about how Buffy learns to self-actualize by incorporating her role as the Slayer into her larger self-construct.

No, it's about a girl slaying vampires. Sadly that's not the way it stayed, and went to lay them instead.

I don't think Buffy had done that by the end of Season Five. Really, I don't think she ever figured out how to do that -- how to go from being both Buffy, the Vampire Slayer, to being Buffy the Vampire Slayer -- until she figured out how to break the Watchers Council's system of control over the Slayer by empowering every Potential in the world, thus ending the one-Slayer-at-a-time rule. Only by overthrowing the Council's system of control and sharing her power did she truly become Buffy the Vampire Slayer; that done, the story was over.

Except of course for that annoying problem that Buffy wasn't under the control of the Watcher's Council to begin with, and most certainly broke with them in S3. And she didn't become Buffy the Vampire Slayer, she started out Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and ended Buffy the Vampire Layer, general bitch on high.